Monday, July 16, 2007

I found Terrapin Rye Pale Ale on tap down at Hangin' Ten, a bar in Surfside Beach, S.C.

Many beers have unique flavor profiles, but some of those flavors are more like experiments, like when over-hopped India Pale Ales taste like mouthfuls of food seasoning.

Terrapin Rye Pale Ale was different and better for it.

This brew woke up my mouth without overwhelming me, and made a serious statement about rye while remaining smooth. Tip of the hat to the rye, the four types of non-rye malt, and the five hops Terrapin included in this mix.

I'm a former section editor (business, later features) at The Sun News in Myrtle Beach, S.C. I'm also the former owner of the late Living Room Coffee Bar & Used Books. These days I'm a lecturer in English at Coastal Carolina University in Conway, S.C., and I'm formerly Beerman columnist and Strange Days columnist for the Weekly Surge.